Is modern life quietly hijacking our fertility?
If you’re struggling to conceive, your cycles feel chaotic, or your hormones feel “off” no matter what you do… You are not broken. You are living in a world that is simply not designed for healthy hormones. As a woman who’s walked through PCOS, hormone chaos, and the fear of “What if my body can’t do this?”, I can tell you: it’s not just your body. It’s your environment, your food, your products, your stress, your sleep, your phone, your water… All of it is whispering to your hormones, all day long. This isn’t here to scare you. It’s here to help you take your power back.
Around the world, more and more couples are struggling to conceive without help. Sperm quality has dropped significantly over the last decades, and conditions like PCOS are rising fast. Researchers like Dr. Shanna Swan have even warned that, if we continue on this path, human fertility could reach crisis levels in our lifetime. But here’s what I want you to really hear:
You are not crazy for feeling that something is off.
Your body is responding to the environment it’s in.
So let’s talk about what’s going on, and what you can actually start doing about it. These are some of the biggest hormone and fertility disruptors I see in the research that you can easily find online, coaching my clients, but of course, also in my own journey.
1. Everyday products are loaded with chemicals
If you’re using “normal” soaps, deodorants, shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, makeup, body lotions… you’re likely exposing yourself to hundreds of synthetic chemicals every single day. Many of them fall under the category of endocrine disruptors, meaning; they can interfere with your hormones, fertility, and metabolism. Your skin is not plastic.
Look out for things like:
Phthalates – often hiding under “fragrance”
Parabens
BPA/BPS in plastics and receipts
2. Seed oils in almost everything
Most ultra-processed foods are full of industrial seed oils (sunflower, soybean, canola, corn, etc.). Inflammation + hormones = bad relationship. Your ovaries, testes, thyroid, and gut all feel that fire.
They are:
Highly processed
Easily oxidized (think: internal rust)
Linked to inflammation in the body
Which brings me to nutrient-poor diets. You cannot build hormones out of thin air. Your body needs:Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K2)
Minerals (zinc, selenium, magnesium, copper)
Quality protein and healthy fats
Modern diets are heavy on:
Ultra-processed carbs
Seed oils
Sugar and additives
…and light on actual nutrients.
Fertility for men and women is energy-expensive. If your body doesn’t feel safe or nourished, it will always prioritise survival over reproduction.
3. Hormonal birth control
This is a sensitive topic, and I’m not here to shame anyone.
But we have to be honest:
Synthetic hormones change the way your body communicates.
Many women notice changes in mood, libido, cycles, and fertility after years on the pill or other hormonal methods.
Additionally, synthetic hormones end up in our water systems as well. So even if you’re not on the pill, your environment might still be whispering extra estrogen into your body. Always talk to your doctor before changing anything, but also give yourself permission to ask questions and explore non-hormonal options if that feels right for you.
4. Plastics, receipts, tap water & pesticides
We don’t live in a bubble. Our food, water, and packaging all play a role. Plastics (especially heated) can leach hormone-like chemicals. Tap water in many places contains traces of medications, pesticides, and other contaminants. Pesticides can act as estrogen mimickers or thyroid disruptors. Is this to make you paranoid? No. It’s to help you see that filters, glass bottles, and organic, when possible, are not “wellness trends”. They’re nervous system, but also fertility protection.
5. Devices, meds & clothing
We don’t think about phones in front pockets all day. Tight synthetic underwear. Long-term medications like certain antidepressants. Individually, they might feel small. But over the years, they can nudge hormones and fertility in the wrong direction. Again: never stop medication without medical guidance. I am sharing this for awareness purposes as a start.
So… what can you actually do?
This is the part I love most: once you understand what’s affecting your hormones, you can finally start shifting your life in a way that supports your body instead of overwhelming it. You don’t need to be perfect, just a bit more intentional. Small changes truly add up.
1. Clean up your environment (slowly, not obsessively). Start with tiny swaps: Choose a low-tox deodorant, switch your lotion, or stop heating food in plastic. And if possible, use a simple water filter.
2. Nourish your body with real, nutrient-dense food. Your hormones run on vitamins, minerals, protein, and healthy fats. Choose foods like eggs, butter or ghee, beef, lamb, liver (or capsules), oily fish, and full-fat dairy if you tolerate them. These foods give your body the building blocks it actually needs to produce hormones and support fertility.
3. Add simple hormone-loving boosts. Ginger increases blood flow and supports reproductive health. Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and helps with circulation and hormone balance. These are small but powerful daily upgrades.
4. Support your thyroid, your body’s “energy CEO.” Eat enough, include minerals like selenium and iodine, and manage stress and blood sugar. If you feel exhausted, cold, or have irregular cycles, it’s worth getting proper thyroid testing. A healthy thyroid makes everything easier.
5. Heal your gut to balance your hormones. Your gut influences mood, cravings, nutrient absorption, and estrogen metabolism. Add fermented foods, choose whole meals over ultra-processed snacks, and aim for simpler meals. A calm gut = calmer hormones.
6. Prioritize sleep like it’s a treatment. Probably you have read this so many times, but I am going to share it again: Most hormone repair happens at night. Aim for 7–9 hours, get morning sunlight, dim screens in the evening, and keep your bedroom cool. Good sleep alone can change your entire hormone landscape.
7. Support your nervous system with glycine and collagen. Collagen-rich foods and glycine calm your system, support detox, and improve sleep. When your body feels safe, it can finally shift out of survival mode and back into balance.
Remember: you don’t need Perfect. You need direction.
You are not too late, and you are not too far gone. Your body is always trying to move back toward balance. Start with one small shift: one product swap, one food upgrade, one better night of sleep, one honest talk with your doctor. Your fertility is not just about conceiving, it’s about your energy, your vitality, your connection to your body. And if you want support on this journey, feel free to reach out. I would be so thrilled to help you in your journey.
